Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends - TV-Y

Sunny Patch is crawling with inquisitive bugs.

TV Rating: TV-Y Network: Nickelodeon, Noggin Cast: Julie Lemieux, Tony Jay, Scott Beaudin Genre: Children, Cartoons, & Animation
Available on: DVD

Common Sense Note

Parents need to know that this series deals with adoption and presents an admirable model of a mixed family. The stories have a gentle, loving tone, along with good doses of humor. Parents might want to introduce their children to the books by David Kirk on which the show is based, too.

Families can discuss the variety of the characters in the series. Do your kids think these different kinds of bugs would be able to live together in the real world? What kind of bugs live in your garden? Families can also talk about adoption. How do your kids feel about the idea of adoption? In addition to the book series, there are a wide range of arts and crafts projects that might be inspired by the series.

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Common Sense Review

Reviewed By: Sarah Wenk

If there are any budding entomologists in your home, they may take exception to MISS SPIDER'S SUNNY PATCH FRIENDS. After all, in the real world a mixed group of insects like the one featured in the show would probably devour each other, not live in loving harmony. But we'll allow some poetic license since Miss Spider presents such a sweet picture of buggy harmony.

The title character and her husband and children have adopted some orphan bugs of different species and set up house in a hollow tree in Sunny Patch. The community is made up of all sorts of insects and their families, including, of course, one villain -- a creepy white spider named Spiderus, who's determined to ruin everyone's fun but never quite manages to do so.

The stories are simple and relevant -- about the evils of spreading rumors, the insects' winter festival, or even a nicely non-commercial episode in which everyone does good deeds in order to receive lovely dreams from the Dream Bug.

Miss Spider is a pleasant if not innovative show, one which even young children will enjoy.

Kids and parent might also want to check out The Wonder Pets! or It's a Big Big World.

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